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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64719
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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HID LIGHTS, cheap... Custom made light bar... JAN. UPDATE: BROKEN!... June Update: Replaced!
ORIGINAL POST 6-1-08.
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1-4-09 EDIT: LIGHT HOUSING FAILED BAJA ROAD ... Cracked! Do not buy if serious off road driving.... Trip to Gonzaga Bay did them in!
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6-1-08:
I was refered to this sale by an off road race fabricator... who I have been asking about lighting for the Tacoma.
Here's what the description says:
7" HID Off Road Light with a wide and very bright 35 watt Euro-Beam Light pattern. Features include a durable, hi-impact ABS housing with a red
anodized aluminum trim ring. These have an internal starter and ballast. Easy two wire installation. Each light includes a clear polycarbonate
protective lens cover to protect the tempered glass lens from rocks. The wiring harness to connect to the included blue back lit rocker switch is also
included.
Normal price for HID lamps are over $500, so at a little over $100 it was impossible to resist getting a pair!
This is not meant as an add for the auto parts store chain (Kragen)... I just wanted to share the info in case you may want to get some off road
racing type of lamps, cheaply. I got these today in Vista... but online or in the advertisement the deal should be all over.
[Edited on 6-27-2009 by David K]
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Roberto
Banned
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Registered: 9-5-2003
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I hope the lights work out for you, but just to be clear Hella HIDs are around $500. They are race-proven for years and the standard in the industry.
The lights you show here are pretty much an unknown (Chinese-made) quantity. Hope they hold up.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64719
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yes, I know... I said the price for HID lamps are (typically) over $500... You will note I put "thirfty Nomads" in the subject line.
Anyway, I appreciated the deal and I think others may be as well... Once I get them mounted and use them, I will report if they are any good or junk.
I am not the only Nomad who would not pay $1,000 for a pair of lamps for the few times I off road at night... but, under $250 with tax is another
story... and they are HID, not halogen lamps.
[Edited on 8-28-2008 by David K]
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Roberto
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I can't justify HIDs either. And that's why I use these: http://www.4wheelparts.com/Rallye-4000-Series-Driving-Lamp.a...
Quality is just as good as the HIDs from the same manufacturer (in fact they are the same light with a different bulb). I have four, and they are
plenty bright for what I do.
[Edited on 6-1-2008 by Roberto]
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Fatboy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 716
Registered: 6-28-2005
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David, those are VERY BRIGHT lights...nice white light, there is no comparsion to standard 100w KC's or Hella's. Plus they only draw 35 watts. I
wonder how they will hold up...keep us posted.
Roberto...You run 4 of the Rallye 4000's lights, with the 100w bulbs? Seems like a lot of draw on a stock system.
Also seems like a lot of money for some off road lights, $125 a pop? Hell, run to Harbor Freight and get 4 of their 6" driving lights for under $20
each and be good enough for anything except racing....
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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I have HID lights from another manufacturer. they are the 35 watt type and put out a amazing amount of light - but the real value is in the low power
usage. I can't tell the difference in brightness when I turn off the motor with these - but I sure could with the regular headlights or halogen
driving lights. A racer friend put them on his 12 car and I haven't heard of any complaints.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Baja12valve
Nomad
Posts: 185
Registered: 7-12-2006
Location: Oak View
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Old school here. I use halogen airplane landing lights, obscene amount of wattage, but a obscene amount of light. 150 amp alternator helps.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64719
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yes, with HID we are talking about using only 35 watts to project a white beam a mile long. Halogen 100 watt + or older KC Daylighter/ aircraft type
filament bulbs that draw 100-150 watts do need relays, heavy wire cable, good sources of electricity, etc.
HID is 'new school' lighting...
I have owned KC lights in the past and still have a giant Cibie Super Oscar quartz iodine 55 watt lamp (used in the 70's for off road racing). It was
on my dune buggy, and maybe I will use it too on my truck?!
Next, I need a light bar for the front of my truck...
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Photog
Junior Nomad
Posts: 27
Registered: 11-23-2003
Location: San Diego
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Nice!
Good thread; thank you all for the info!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8932
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Wow! HIDs for $100/pair is definitely a great deal. I run a pair of 150w KCs on my front bumper and 4 Hella 55w lights across the roof area of my
Jeep. 3 pairs of HIDs would simply rock my night runs in the desert & in Baja... Thanks for passing this information along, David.
Here's my friend Mike's Unlimited JK Rubicon with 9" Halogen lights, 4x5" Halogen KCs, and pencil beam lights.
We didn't use these lights on the trail in Baja at Baja Grande, but its' nice to have them when needed. Mike runs a red top Optima battery, but has a
stock alternator 135 amp unit on his Jeep. My alternator is also a 135 amp unit, and has provided trouble-free recovery usage of my lights and winch
system when used in conjunction with my Yellow top Optima battery.
Question: David, you consider upgrading your battery to a dry cell unit for the rigors and washboarding of Baja???\
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Optima's aren't "dry cells" but they can take all the washboards. I have 4 6" HIDs and one 9" HID on my Bronco - 2 6" flood and the rest are spots.
35w each - and each puts out the light of a 135w Halogen. Using less juice than 2 or your 100w lights.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by Ken Cooke |
I BELIEVE they are $100 each. Still a great price.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64719
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Right Roberto...
Hey Ken, this is what I posted: "Normal price for HID lamps are over $500, so at a little over $100 it was impossible to resist getting a pair!"
So, at a little over $100 each, I got a pair... with tax: $259.78 ($119.99 each to Kragen and $19.80 to the government). A pair of name brand HIDs
would have been about $1,100.
Yesterday, I went to Off Road Warehouse and 4 Wheel Parts to get prices on a light bar and installation...
A lighting bar for the front of my Tacoma (bolts on) was about $300 (from KC Hilights) at both places. Installation of the bar was $70 at ORW and $140
at 4WP. To wire up the lights, with switch, etc. was about $140 at both places... over $500!
Tomorrow, my future step-son who works on off road race trucks will take measurements to make one... it can then be powder coated or chromed.
Stay tuned!!
[Edited on 6-27-2009 by David K]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8932
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David KA lighting bar for the front of my Tacoma (bolts on) was about $300 (from KC Hilights) at both places.
Installation of the bar was $70 at ORW and $140 at 4WP. To wire up the lights, with switch, etc. was about $140 at both places... over $500!
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You could also Rhino-coat the lightbar which would make it completely impervious to desert conditions, and make it look even more stout and one-off
all at the same time. Chrome-dipping is terrible for the environment, and Power coating (along with chrome triple dipping) does scratch and degrade
over time. Just a thought...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64719
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks Ken... I appeciate that!
How was TJ... you didn't call! 
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8932
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thanks Ken... I appeciate that!
How was TJ... you didn't call! |
Ummm. Good times, GREAT food, prompt 4WD service, everything that makes me wish I had a 2nd home there in town.
TIJUANA ME HACE FELIZ! 
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John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1914
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
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Light bar
David, I've been looking for a light bar for my Toyota and about the only one I'd consider is from Pro Comp - I tried to attach an image but can't.
It's on the right side of the page, halfway down, follow the link. And....it's on a silver Toyota.
Hmmmm, maybe the link isn't clickable, so copy and paste maybe.
John M
http://www.explorerprocomp.com/PDFs/07cat/100-103.pdf
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8932
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Its a PDF file, John. I don't have the Adobe software to open the image. Otherwise, I'd host it on my website. David might be better off buying a
unit that is pre-measured/fabricated - it would definitely be more economical.
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Roberto
Banned
Posts: 2162
Registered: 9-5-2003
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I have had a light bar made by Randy Ellis on my F350 for years. It's been through hell and back, and is a bolt-on application. Here is the web page
for the Toyota one.
http://www.randyellisdesign.com/TOYOTA%20TACOMA%20LIGHT%20BA...
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8932
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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$249 and already powdercoated in Chrome - this should do the trick for David w/o a lot of extra expense to deal with.
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